Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

homonymous

Adjective
/hɔːˈmɒnɪməs/
Definition
Having the same name or spelling but different meanings.
Examples
  • Bank (the financial institution) and bank (the side of a river) are homonymous words.
  • He found it confusing that ‘bark’ could mean the sound a dog makes or the outer covering of a tree, as they are homonymous.
Meaning
Homonymous refers to words that sound alike or are spelled the same way, yet have different meanings or origins.
Synonyms
  • Homophone
  • Homograph
  • Polysemous